chord progression help

Shands

Shands

Dj Shands
hi guys quick question. Im still learning music theory and im basically a noob. My question is, well lets say in the key of C for example, why is the D chord a minor? It goes from C Major to D minor and honestly i dont get it. Its probably something simple and it might be a dumb question but if anyone can help me wrap my brain around it that'd be great.
 
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refer to this keyboard as you go through each of the tables below

Chord nameChord tonesIntervals above the rootSemitones above the root
aka black and white keys above
or frets above
CC-E-GMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
DmD-F-AMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
EmE-G-BMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
FF-A-CMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
GG-B-DMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
AmA-C-EMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
BdimB-D-Fminor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6

so chords with a minor 3rd and perfect 5th are minor chords

chords with a major 3rd and perfect 5th are Major chords

chords with a minor 3rd and diminished 5th are diminished chords

not shown but found in the harmonic minor, chords with a major 3rd and an augmented 5th are augmented chords.
for the 3 types of minor we have

Natural Minor
Chord nameChord tonesIntervals above the rootSemitones above the root
aka black and white keys above
or frets above
AmA-C-EMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
BdimB-D-Fminor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6
CC-E-GMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
DmD-F-AMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
EmE-G-BMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
FF-A-CMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
GG-B-DMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7

Harmonic Minor
Chord nameChord tonesIntervals above the rootSemitones above the root
aka black and white keys above
or frets above
AmA-C-EMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
BdimB-D-Fminor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6
CAugC-E-G#Major 3rd and augmented 5th4 and 8
DmD-F-AMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
EE-G#-BMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
FF-A-CMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
G#dimG#-B-DMinor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6

Melodic Minor
Chord nameChord tonesIntervals above the rootSemitones above the root
aka black and white keys above
or frets above
AmA-C-EMinor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
BmB-D-F#minor 3rd and perfect 5th3 and 7
CAugC-E-G#Major 3rd and augmented 5th4 and 8
DD-F-AMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
EE-G#-BMajor 3rd and perfect 5th4 and 7
F#dimF#-A-CMinor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6
G#dimG#-B-DMinor 3rd and diminished 5th3 and 6

two other chords that are possible but not generally found are

Majorb5 and minor #5.

Majorb5 is a major 3rd and a diminished 5th (4 and 6) - example is G-B-Db

Minor#5 is a minor 3d and augmented 5th (3 and 8) - example is A-C-E# (spell it slightly differently (A-C-F) and it is a first inversion major chord)
 
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honestly not to confuse you any further , i suggest learning the scales first . so when you go to learning the chords within a scale you understand why it is so. C major has no flats or sharps, so naturally you will jus go up the scale playing triads with no sharps or flats. Once you begin to learn minor chords the same rules dont apply as they do with major , so learn the scales
 
Man that chord chart is what I been looking for thanks. i really just been using my ear to tell me what sounds good but it takes me forever to find the right note and pitch.
 
To make it simple in the diatonic scale (most pouplar music uses) chords assocaite with each major key are always

1 major
2 minor
3 minor
4 major
5 major or dominate
6 minor
7 diminished
8 same as 1

so apply this to the key of c, with C being 1, D being 2, E being 3, and so on..This is for every major key
 
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